What is the Need for Strength Training?

Strength training is exercise that uses resistance to strengthen and condition the musculoskeletal system; this is undertaken by putting each particular muscle under tension through resistance, benefits include improving muscle tone and endurance. Any type of resistance will improve the strength of an individual, at Ollie Lawrence Personal Trainer Stockport we use a variety of ways to do this, weights, resistance bands and body weight exercises are all ways of putting a muscle under tension, furthermore strengthening it. Strength training is used as a generic term synonymous with other common terms, such as weight training and weightlifting.

Before you undertake any type of physical training, you need to know the benefits and why you are doing certain things; at Ollie Lawrence Personal Trainer Manchester we explain all benefits of strength training. There are both physiologically and mental benefits, including an increase in muscle size and tone, increased muscular strength, and increases in tendon, bone, and ligament strength, moreover helping to limiting problems later in life with conditions such as osteoporosis. Strength training has also been shown to improve psychological health, by increasing self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth.  The short and sweet answer is strength building will lead to increased mental and physical stamina to better endure the stresses of daily living.

More benefits of a good strength training program are the physical effect it has on our overall appearance and body composition; this can directly increase self-esteem, self-worth, and confidence. For example, take a 170 lb. man who has 20 percent body fat, equaling 34 pounds of fat weight and 136 pounds of lean body weight. Lean body weight is your current muscle, bones, internal organs and any water that will be in your body. By beginning an effective strength training program, he replaces five pounds of fat with five pounds of muscle. He still weighs 170 pounds, but he is now 17 percent fat with 29 pounds of fat weight and 141 pounds of lean body weight. Although his body weight remains the same, his strength, muscle tone, and metabolism have improved, giving him a fitter and more athletic appearance.

At Ollie’s Manchester Gym, we advise all clients to lift weights, they are important for preventing the muscle loss that normally accompanies the aging process, and furthermore many conditions linked with old age can be improved with strength training A common misconception is that as we age, it is normal to stop being active and to start slowing down, and become depend on aides such as walking sticks or a wheelchair. Many people think we have no choice, as this is normal. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. There is absolutely no reason why all of us can’t be physically, mentally, socially, and sexually active, living a healthy vibrant life until our last day on Earth.  The reason many elderly people become slower and fatter is simply that over the years their muscles have been wasting away, so their physical performance and metabolism also decrease, becoming less efficient.

Our muscles have high-energy requirements. Even when we are sleeping, our muscles use more than 25{e247ef2f99dfc0bc75e074b1ac933c200478cf8913d2da2bbe9d5daddf1eb195} of our energy (calories). When you implement the principles of effective strength training and you are consistent in your program, you will achieve an increase in lean muscle mass throughout your body and increase your Basal Metabolism Rate (BMR). In other words, you can condition your metabolism to work better and more efficiently even when you are at rest, burning calories whilst sitting on your sofa.

An increase in muscle tissue causes an increase in metabolic rate, and a decrease in muscle tissue causes a decrease in metabolic rate. You can see that anyone interested in decreasing body fat percentage and their risk of disease as well as in increasing physical performance and appearance, should be strength training to help condition and increase their metabolism (BMR) to burn more fat.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a weight loss program is not including a strength training routine with their cardiovascular exercise and nutritional eating plan. This is disastrous because when we cut calories without exercise, we can lose muscle as well as fat! All we want to lose is the fat (the harmful stuff), the more muscle we have the quicker your BMR. To loose fat we need to implement a mixture of free weight, body weight and cardio exercise along with an effective nutritional programme, not just one type of training. Strength training is for anyone, any age and any condition but should be done under the supervision of someone who knows what they are doing as it can be dangerous. All trainers at Ollie Lawrence Personal Trainer Manchester are very experienced in all exercises, generating great sustainable results for years. 

For more information please click here or speak to Ollie directly on 0161 399 00 77.